Molecular Characterization and Clinical Description of Non-Polio Enteroviruses Detected in Stool Samples from HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Adults in Ghana

  • Veronica Di Cristanziano (Shared first author)
  • Kristina Weimer (Shared first author)
  • Sindy Böttcher
  • Fred Stephen Sarfo
  • Albert Dompreh
  • Lucio-Garcia Cesar
  • Elena Knops
  • Eva Heger
  • Maike Wirtz
  • Rolf Kaiser
  • Betty Norman
  • Richard Odame Phillips
  • Torsten Feldt
  • Kirsten Alexandra Eberhardt

Related Research units

Abstract

In the post-polio eradication era, increasing attention is given to non-polio enteroviruses. Most of the data about enteroviruses in sub-Saharan Africa are related to acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and target the pediatric population. This study aimed to investigate the presence of enterovirus in PLHIV (people living with HIV) and HIV-negative individuals in Ghana. Stool samples from HIV-positive individuals (n = 250) and healthy blood donors (n = 102) attending the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, were screened by real-time PCR for enterovirus. Molecular typing of the VP1 region was performed. Enterovirus-positive samples were tested for norovirus, adenovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and cosaviruses. Twenty-six out of 250 HIV-positive subjects (10.4%) and 14 out of 102 HIV-negative individuals (13.7%) were detected enterovirus-positive, not showing a significant different infection rate between the two groups. HIV-negative individuals were infected with Enterovirus C strains only. HIV-positive participants were detected positive for species Enterovirus A, Enterovirus B, and Enterovirus C. Co-infections with other viral enteric pathogens were almost exclusively detected among HIV-positive participants. Overall, the present study provides the first data about enteroviruses within HIV-positive and HIV-negative adults living in Ghana.

Bibliographical data

Original languageEnglish
ISSN1999-4915
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16.02.2020
PubMed 32079128